"George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, singer, and writer. He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebrow and cigar-smoke punctuation became familiar trademarks for over three quarters of a century. He and his wife, Gracie Allen, appeared on radio, television, and film as the comedy duo Burns and Allen. When Burns was 79, he had a sudden career revival as an amiable, beloved and unusually active comedy elder statesman in the 1975 film ""The Sunshine Boys"", for which"
"Grumpier Old Men Grumpier Old Men is a 1995 romantic comedy film, and a sequel to the film ""Grumpy Old Men"" (1993). The film stars Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, and Sophia Loren, with Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Katie Sagona, Ann Morgan Guilbert. ""Grumpier Old Men"" was directed by Howard Deutch, with the screenplay written by Mark Steven Johnson and the original music score composed by Alan Silvestri. The film was Meredith's final motion picture appearance. He was already suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and had to be gently coached through his role in the film. The feud between"
"Grumpy Old Men (film) Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 American romantic comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, with Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis and Buck Henry. Directed by Donald Petrie, the screenplay was written by Mark Steven Johnson, who also wrote the sequel, ""Grumpier Old Men"" (1995). The original music score was composed by Alan Silvestri. This was the sixth film starring both Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and their first on screen pairing since 1981's ""Buddy Buddy"", and was released on December 25, 1993. Widower retirees John Gustafson (Lemmon), a former high"
"cantankerous African-American, who spend their days sitting on a bench. They both mask the realities of aging, sharing tall tales that Nat spins. The play touches on several issues, including society's treatment of the aging, the difficulties dealing with adult children who think they know what's best for their parents, and the dangers that lurk in urban areas. Its title comes from an old vaudeville joke, a variation of which evolved into dialogue between the two protagonists: The 1996 film version, written and directed by Gardner, starred Walter Matthau, Ossie Davis, Amy Irving, Craig T. Nelson, Martha Plimpton, Peter Friedman,"
"""Grumpy Old Men"" and its sequel ""Grumpier Old Men"". He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1966 Billy Wilder film ""The Fortune Cookie."" Besides the Oscar, he was the winner of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony awards. Matthau was born Walter John Matthow on October 1, 1920, in New York City's Lower East Side. His mother, Rose (née Berolsky), was a Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant who worked in a garment sweatshop, and his father, Milton Matthow, was a Ukrainian-Jewish peddler and electrician, from Kiev, Ukraine. As part of a lifelong love of practical jokes, Matthau"
"Walter Matthau Walter Matthau (; born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor and comedian, best known for his film roles, including as Oscar Madison in ""The Odd Couple,"" based on the play of the same title by playwright Neil Simon, in which he also appeared on broadway theatre, and notably, opposite Audrey Hepburn in Charade. He also appeared in the less successful Odd Couple film sequel some 30 years later, ""The Odd Couple II."" Matthau was known for his frequent collaborations with ""Odd Couple"" co-star Jack Lemmon, particularly in the 1990s with"
"calling ""Vice Versa"" the best of the three, by far. Janet Maslin was critical of the film for leaving George Burns in a coma when he is who the audience came to see, and says that it ""isn't successfully aimed at anyone in particular"". 18 Again! 18 Again! is a 1988 American fantasy-comedy film directed by Paul Flaherty and starring George Burns and Charlie Schlatter. The plot involves a grandson switching souls with his grandfather by means of an accident. Jack Watson is a millionaire playboy and businessman who is about to turn 81 years old just as his grandson"
"House Calls (1978 film) House Calls is a 1978 comedy-drama film starring Walter Matthau and Glenda Jackson, directed by Howard Zieff. Charles Nichols is a respected doctor. He is also a new widower, and as soon as he returns to Los Angeles from a tropical vacation and period of mourning, he finds himself propositioned by a number of women. The hospital where Charley works is ineptly run by Dr. Amos Willoughby, a senile chief of staff. Typical of the incompetence there is the way a fractured jaw of patient Ann Atkinson is being treated by Willoughby with a primitive contraption."
"movie adaptation. The play was revived in 1996 and 2001. Both the 1962 play and the movie starred Jason Robards, Jr. as Murray Burns, a charming, unemployed children's show writer, who is forced to choose between social conformity and the probable loss of custody of his 11-year-old nephew to the Child Welfare Bureau. The Robards character was in part based on Gardner's friend at that time, humorist Jean Shepherd. In 2000, Robards wrote: I feel ""A Thousand Clowns"" is his masterpiece. It is a real human comedy of poignancy and laughter, with all of humanity's foibles and eccentricities. There is"
"two stars while describing the film as a disappointment, though he credited Marceau and his performance, describing it as ""always interesting and sometimes gruesomely funny"" Composer-Conductor Alex North was nominated for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score for the 47th Academy Awards in 1975. The score includes both horrific and often atonal music and clarinet-centered popular jazz reflecting a bygone era. Long unavailable, ""Shanks"" appeared on DVD from OliveFilms in 2013. Shanks (film) Shanks is a 1974 American horror film about a puppeteer able to manipulate dead bodies like puppets. Mime Marcel Marceau, in his first major film role, plays the"
"Airport 1975 Airport 1975 (also known as Airport '75) is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film ""Airport"". ""Airport 1975"" is directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye and Jennings Lang and has a screenplay by Don Ingalls. The film stars Charlton Heston, Karen Black and George Kennedy, as well as Gloria Swanson in her final screen appearance. The plot concerns the dramatic events aboard an airborne Boeing 747 when a small aircraft crashes into the cockpit causing the fatalities of senior crew and the blinding of the pilot with no"
"film, saying ""as a director, you automatically have different goals. I can't think about directing when I'm acting."" The film was a drama about three sisters coping with the senility and eventual death of their elderly father, played by Walter Matthau. ""Hanging Up"" rated poorly with critics and grossed a modest US$36million at the North American box office. In 2001, Keaton co-starred with Warren Beatty in ""Town & Country"", a critical and financial fiasco. Budgeted at an estimated US$90million, the film opened to little notice and grossed only US$7million in its North American theatrical run. Peter Travers of ""Rolling Stone"""
"Blu-ray on February 23, 2010. The Blu-ray releases marked the first time both films have been available in widescreen since the LaserDisc releases. None of the Blu-ray releases contain any special features. A sequel, entitled ""Grumpier Old Men"", was released on December 22, 1995, with Lemmon, Matthau and Ann-Margret all reprising their roles and Mark Steven Johnson again writing the script. Grumpy Old Men (film) Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 American romantic comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Ann-Margret, with Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis and Buck Henry. Directed by Donald Petrie, the screenplay"
"Walter Matthau received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and won the 1973 BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in this movie and for his performance in ""Charley Varrick"". Carol Burnett received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Pete 'n' Tillie Pete 'n' Tillie is a 1972 American comedy-drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett. Its advertising tagline was: ""Honeymoon's over. It's time to get married."" Screenwriter Julius J. Epstein was nominated for"
"The Seniors The Seniors (sometimes The Senior or simply Seniors) is a 1978 American comedy film about four college seniors who open a bogus sex clinic, which unexpectedly mushrooms into a multimillion-dollar business. Directed by Rod Amateau, the films features Dennis Quaid in one of his earliest roles and Alan Reed (the original voice of Fred Flintstone) in his final film appearance. The film opens with a title card that jokingly claims that Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds, Ryan O'Neal, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, and Charles Bronson are the stars of the film. This"
"Bug (1975 film) Bug is a 1975 American horror film in Panavision, directed by Jeannot Szwarc and written by William Castle and Thomas Page, from Page's novel ""The Hephaestus Plague"" (1973). It was the last film Castle was involved in before his death. The film starred Bradford Dillman, Joanna Miles and Richard Gilliland. An earthquake releases a bunch of mutant cockroaches that can create fire by rubbing their cerci together. Eventually most of the bugs die because they cannot survive in the low air pressure on the Earth's surface, but a scientist, Professor James Parmiter (Dillman), keeps one alive in"
"Varrick."" The protagonists of the film also rob a bank in Tres Cruces, New Mexico, and make off with a far larger than expected amount of money. Another film which has striking similarities regarding the storyline and setting is ""No Country for Old Men"" (2007) by the Coen Brothers. Matthau won the 1974 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards for Best Actor in ""Charley Varrick"". In addition, Frank Morriss was nominated for the 1974 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards for Best Editing. ""Charley Varrick"" was released as a Region 1 DVD with no extras on"
"Just You and Me, Kid Just You and Me, Kid is a 1979 American comedy film starring George Burns, Brooke Shields, Lorraine Gary, Ray Bolger, Leon Ames, Carl Ballantine, Keye Luke and Burl Ives. It was directed by Leonard B. Stern and was released in July 1979 by Columbia Pictures. Bill (George Burns) is an elderly ex-vaudevillian who lives alone, often looking at photographs of his deceased wife. Each day after breakfast, he goes to the supermarket, where he interacts in a friendly way with employees, often charming them with a magic trick. Kate (Brooke Shields) is a teen-age girl"
"Dead Ringers (film) Dead Ringers is a 1988 Canadian-American psychological horror film starring Jeremy Irons in a dual role as identical twin gynecologists. David Cronenberg directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Norman Snider. Their script was based on the lives of Stewart and Cyril Marcus and on the novel ""Twins"" by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland, a ""highly fictionalized"" version of the Marcus' story. The film won numerous honors, including for Irons' performance, and 10 Genie Awards, notably Best Motion Picture. Toronto International Film Festival critics have ranked it among the Top 10 Canadian Films of All Time. Elliot and"
"The Hunger (1983 film) The Hunger is a 1983 erotic horror film directed by Tony Scott and starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon. It is the story of a love triangle between a doctor who specialises in sleep and aging research and a vampire couple. The film is a loose adaptation of the 1981 novel of the same name by Whitley Strieber, with a screenplay by Ivan Davis and Michael Thomas, and is Scott's feature directorial debut. The film was screened out of competition at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. Miriam Blaylock (Catherine Deneuve) is a vampire, promising"
"much of the movie, their characters only meeting in the final minutes. This was George Burns' last film appearance for 37 years until his Oscar-winning performance in ""The Sunshine Boys"" in 1975. The film is also notable for offering a somewhat rare cinematic look at pre-World War II Honolulu. There is a notable musical sequence featuring Gracie Allen, accompanied by musicians made to look like the Marx Brothers (including two Grouchos), while several actors in the audience are costumed to look like such famous actors as Clark Gable, W.C. Fields and Oliver Hardy. Footage of one of Powell's dance routines"
"Pignon, who is suicidal since his wife left him for a reputed doctor named Fuchs (Jean-Pierre Darras), tries to hang himself on the waterpipes, but only manages to cause a flood. Realizing that if Pignon tries to kill himself again the police will search the place, Milan offers to talk him out of it until after his assassination. Unfortunately Pignon starts irritating him more, and makes it more difficult for him to fulfill his contract killing. The film was remade in the United States in 1981 as ""Buddy Buddy"" by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The film"
"Carol Marcus died in 2003, and her body was interred in the same grave as her husband. Jack Lemmon along with others of Matthau's friends and relations appeared on ""Larry King Live"" in an hour of tribute and remembrance; many of those same people appeared on the show one year later, paying tribute to Lemmon himself who died the following year (and whose body was also buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park). Walter Matthau Walter Matthau (; born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor and comedian, best known for his film roles,"
"Charles Matthau Charles ""Charlie"" Matthau (born December 10, 1962) is a film and television director and actor and the son of actor Walter Matthau and actress/author Carol Saroyan. Born in New York City, he appeared as a child actor alongside his father in such films as ""Charley Varrick"" (1973), ""The Bad News Bears"" (1976) and ""House Calls"" (1978). Among his directorial projects have been ""The Grass Harp"", from a novella by Truman Capote, and the made-for-TV movie ""The Marriage Fool"", both of which starred his father. He also directed ""Doin' Time on Planet Earth"" (1988), ""Her Minor Thing"" (2005), ""Baby-O"""
"Alan Arkin. The remake was released on April 7, 2017. Other crime caper films involving older perpetrators include: Going in Style (1979 film) Going in Style is a 1979 caper film written and directed by Martin Brest. It stars George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg, and Charles Hallahan. It was Brest's first commercial feature film. Joe (George Burns), Al (Art Carney), and Willie (Lee Strasberg) are three senior citizens who share a small apartment in Queens, New York City. Their days are spent on a park bench, and Joe is desperate to break the monotony. One day Joe suggests that"
"(in which the Almighty engages a precocious schoolgirl played by Louanne Sirota to spread the word) and ""Oh, God! You Devil""—in which Burns played a dual role as God and the Devil, with the soul of a would-be songwriter played by Ted Wass at stake. After guest starring on ""The Muppet Show"", Burns appeared in 1978's ""Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"", the film based on the Beatles' album of the same name. In 1979, at the age of 83, Burns starred in two feature films, ""Just You and Me, Kid"" and ""Going in Style"". Burns remained active in movies"
"film received 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Hustle (1975 film) Hustle is a 1975 American neo-noir crime film directed by Robert Aldrich, and stars Burt Reynolds and Catherine Deneuve. A group of field trip students and a teacher discover a woman's dead body at the beach. Two Los Angeles Police Department detectives, Phil Gaines and Louis Belgrave, are assigned to the homicide investigation. The case appears to be a suicide but things do not add up. The deceased, Gloria Hollinger, overdosed, yet the trail leads back to Leo Sellers, a wealthy and corrupt attorney. Gaines and Belgrave do not believe"
"the film has not been released on Blu-Ray or in the digital format. Just You and Me, Kid Just You and Me, Kid is a 1979 American comedy film starring George Burns, Brooke Shields, Lorraine Gary, Ray Bolger, Leon Ames, Carl Ballantine, Keye Luke and Burl Ives. It was directed by Leonard B. Stern and was released in July 1979 by Columbia Pictures. Bill (George Burns) is an elderly ex-vaudevillian who lives alone, often looking at photographs of his deceased wife. Each day after breakfast, he goes to the supermarket, where he interacts in a friendly way with employees, often"
"Movers & Shakers Movers & Shakers is a 1985 American comedy film distributed by MGM, starring Walter Matthau and directed by William Asher. The story follows the head of production at a Hollywood studio who wants to make a movie to fulfill a promise made to a dying friend. The film was written by Charles Grodin, who also appears in the movie. The cast includes Tyne Daly, Gilda Radner, and Vincent Gardenia. Steve Martin makes a cameo appearance as Fabio Longio. Hollywood studio mogul Joe Mulholland (Matthau) vows to produce the pet project of a dying acquaintance, who has been"
"Unbecoming Age Unbecoming Age, also known as The Magic Bubble, is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Alfredo Ringel and Deborah Ringel and starring George Clooney and Diane Salinger. The film tells the story of woman who, for her 40th birthday, wishes to forget how old she is. A bottle of magic bubbles makes her wish come true, instantly transforming Julia into an ageless and happy woman. On her The Movie Archive Review website, Marjorie Johns awarded the film a score of six out of ten, stating that the film's ""fantasy elements work well"" and concluding that ""it's a"
"for MGM on video cassette, cable, regular television and foreign sales. Years later, on an depression-themed episode of his talk show, Grodin would cite the failure of this film (along with the subsequent death of his father) with putting him in a long period of depression. Movers & Shakers Movers & Shakers is a 1985 American comedy film distributed by MGM, starring Walter Matthau and directed by William Asher. The story follows the head of production at a Hollywood studio who wants to make a movie to fulfill a promise made to a dying friend. The film was written by"
"Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. Matthau also helped raise his stepchildren, Aram Saroyan and Lucy Saroyan. His grandchildren include William Matthau, an engineer, and Emily Rose Roman, a student at Binghamton University. Charlie Matthau directed his father in ""The Grass Harp"" (1995). A heavy smoker, Matthau had a heart attack in 1966, the first of at least three in his lifetime. In 1976, ten years after his first heart attack, he underwent heart bypass surgery. After working in freezing Minnesota weather for ""Grumpy Old Men"" (1993), he was hospitalized for double pneumonia. In December 1995 he had a"
"be more considerate lovers they become more likable. Above all, they embody the sure-fire appeal of all movie anti-heroes, free spirits who live entirely for the moment and at all times follow their impulse."" Going Places (1974 film) Going Places is a 1974 French erotic comedy-drama film co-written and directed by Bertrand Blier, and based on his own novel. Its original title is Les Valseuses, which translates into English as ""the waltzers"" , a vulgar French slang term for ""the testicles"". It stars Miou-Miou, Gérard Depardieu and Patrick Dewaere. It is widely considered one of the most controversial movies in"